The Struggle’ s 41st Congress 2024: A Silver lining for Revolutionary Workers and Youth

By Awais Qarni

On 2nd and 3rd March, 2024, the 41st Congress of The Struggle took place in Lahore. More than 1300 participants, including delegates, members and observers, surpassed the most optimistic expectations, managing to exceed the number of comrades of the most recent congresses, showing significant growth and consolidation. The enthusiasm and conviction to carry out the party’s tasks with which the delegations returned to their regions is the most complete expression of the successful result of the Congress. The meeting achieved, in the midst of a critical economic situation that affects most comrades, complete self-financing and guarantee of the important logistics that such a huge event demanded, which is another very important step forward for a working class and revolutionary organization based in the impoverished working people.

The large number of women and young people among the Congress participants stood out, demonstrating a highly dynamic organization. The presence of a significant number of women, much superior to other events, in a country where the patriarchy is so deeply rooted in society is an achievement of great magnitude that must be highly valued, as well as the fact that the great majority of delegations had a youth component. Among the delegations, another very important element to highlight is the party’s advances in the places where the national movements and class struggles are developing the most, as in Jammu Kashmir, KPK and Balochistan, where the party’s intervention stands out and is playing leading roles in many instances.

The high political level of the lead offs and contributions corroborates that the party has a significant layer of cadres and militants, theoretically and politically educated in the ideas of revolutionary Marxism. This represents an invaluable capital to face the challenges that lay ahead and take new leaps in the construction of the organization in the next period. The Congress shows the organization’s high internationalist commitment through building the ISL in the region and beyond, unconditional militancy and association with the Palestinian cause, solidarity with all the struggles of workers and oppressed peoples of the world.

In four sessions of the congress, comrades debated the main aspects of the global and national situation, Lenin’s legacy 100 years after his death, the challenges and perspectives of the organization and party building, and a series of tasks to take advantage of the opportunities that the class struggle offers in the country and the region. In this regard, three very detailed documents on perspectives and party building were published prior to the Congress and circulated and discussed throughout the organization. These documents were then voted on in the Congress. Additionally, three commissions on youth, trade union and women work were held during the two days of the meeting.

The congress received dozens of messages of solidarity from the revolutionary organizations hailing from all the five continents including: Rana Sikander (Paul), founding member of The Struggle, from Belgium; Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist) from Srinagar; Cele Fierro, Member Assembly of Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and leader of Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores (MST) from Argentina; Jasmine Duff, leader of Socialist Alternative from Australia; Silvia Leticia, leader of Liga Internacional Socialista from Brazil; Tamara Yapura, leader of Liga Internacional Socialista from France; Ezra Ontieno, leader of Revolutionary Socialist League from Kenya; Flor Salgueiro, leader SOL – Socialismo y Libertad-Estado español from Spain; Roni Tavorus, leader of International Socialist League Britain from UK; Oleg Vernyk, president of the independent Labour Union “Zahist Pratsi” and leader of the Ukrainian Socialist League (USL); Adam Shils, leader of International Socialism Project (ISP) from USA; Chaia Ahmed Baba, leader of International Socialist League in Western Sahara; Farhad K., leader of The Struggle overseas region from USA. Moreover, Alejandro Bodart, Coordinator of International Socialist League (ISL), travelled all the way from Argentina to participate in the congress and open the first session on the international situation.  Many other comrades of JKNSF (Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation), Peoples Revolutionary Front (PRF) and The Struggle overseas travelled from USA, Middle East and Europe to participate in this historic congress.

Day 1

In the morning of Saturday (March 2nd) comrades from every corner of the country arrived at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal Complex, a feat that implied an extraordinary effort in the current economic context of high inflation and poverty. Delegations from Jammu Kashmir, North Punjab, KPK, Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh and almost every area of the country filled the hall.

The day began with revolutionary anthems and poems. Comrade Gufran Ahad from Malakand opened the Congress with a few but very enthusiastic words of welcome. Comrade Imran Kamyana from center then introduced the international delegates and the first series of international greetings were projected before the first session on the world perspectives began.

The session was chaired by comrade Nazar Mengal from Quetta. Alejandro Bodart from Argentina delivered a lead off that covered an analysis of the capitalist crisis, global social and political polarization, inter-imperialist conflicts and some of the main current debates of the world left, such as Ukraine and Palestine. Comrades Zahid from the USA, Rahul from Hyderabad, Haris Qadeer from Jammu Kashmir, Rehana from Rawalpindi made contributions and the debate was enriched with various questions presented by the comrades. Comrade Alejandro then closed the session addressing the questions that several comrades asked in the context of inter-imperialist conflicts, the Ukrainian war and our proposals for Palestine, among other topics.

After lunch, the second session on Pakistan perspective began, chaired by comrade Rashid Shiekh from Jammu Kashmir. Comrade Zafar Ullah from Islamabad delivered the lead off on the country’s political situation, marked by the economic crisis, division and instability in the regime and significant mass movements in Kashmir and Balochistan. Comrades Ilyas Khan from Lahore, Anwan Panwar from Dadu and S.N. Shorida from Jammu Kashmir made contributions, and comrade Zaffar while summing up the discussion answered the questions presented by various comrades.

The day ended with meetings of the youth, PTUDC and women’s commissions, the latter with the participation of dozens of new comrades who have joined The Struggle in the heat of the movements in Kashmir and Baluchistan.

Day 2

In the morning of Sunday (March 3rd), the second day of the meeting began with revolutionary songs and poems and the projection of another series of international greetings. The third session on The legacy and relevance of Lenin after 100 years his death then began. It was chaired by comrade Rahul from Hyderabad. Comrade Imran Kamyana from center led off with a report on the main contributions of the great Russian revolutionary to the Marxist theory and practices and their relevance today. On the one hand, he highlighted Lenin’s theoretical contributions on the state, imperialism and national question that have particular relevance today. On the other hand, he explained Lenin’s revolutionary party model, with professional militants and democratic centralism. Comrade Alejandro Bodart from the ISL, Altamash from Jammu Kashmir and Asif Rasheed from Rawalpindi made contributions and comrade Imran Kamyana closed the session answering the questions.

Afterwards, the fourth session on the building of revolutionary party and international began, chaired by Qamar Uz Zaman from Sadiqabad. Comrade Awais Qarni from center led off with the report on organization, presenting an assessment of recent activity of the organization, which has been intervening in the main processes of the class struggle and national movements and is growing considerably, especially in the vanguard of these movements, organizing many young activists including women.

Afterward, comrade Rauf Lond from Jampur presented the central committee proposal, comrade Khakula presented the women’s commission report, comrade Omer Abdullah presented the youth commission report, comrade Qamar Uz Zaman presented the PTUDC commission report and comrade Khalil Babar presented a general organizational report of the JKNSF (the revolutionary youth organization in Kashmir).

Delegates then voted the proposed central committee, the document and debate on world perspectives, the document and the discussion on the Pakistan perspective, the debate on the legacy and relevance of Lenin after 100 years, the document and report on the organization, and the reports of the commissions.

The Congress closed with the singing of the The Internationale and marching out of the hall to carry out a great mobilization for a “secular, socialist and united Palestine from the river to the sea.”

Congress and Rally in Pictures